


What's in a Name?

by Katey



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Female Sherlock, Femlock, Friendship, Gen, Genderswap, Male John
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-12
Updated: 2014-01-12
Packaged: 2018-01-08 13:01:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1132960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katey/pseuds/Katey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>"Sherlock's actually a girl's name."</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	What's in a Name?

**Author's Note:**

> A very, very short headcanon I wrote about my version of Femlock in November 2013 after a lot of research because I don't like the sound of "Shirley" or something like that for her. Became more [interesting](http://kassna.tumblr.com/post/73137371186/sherlock-is-actually-a-girls-name) after His Last Vow - and that's strange enough to put it online. :)

„They wanted to call me Shirley. Well, to be honest, they actually _christened_ me Shirley.”

“And you weren’t happy with it? It’s a nice name, y’know…”

“John. Really. I decided to abandon it the first time someone nicknamed me ‘curly Shirley’, followed by ‘Shirls’.”

“And that was…?”

“In primary school.” Her smile became a little smug and was soon hidden behind the rim of the mug as she lifted it in front of her lips. But instead of drinking she carried on talking around the porcelain. “It really wasn’t that much of a leap. Most people are unaware of the fact that Shirley used to be a distinctly male name until the 19th century. A novel of that time changed that, the author made the father of one of her protagonists name her that way because he initially wanted a boy. My own behaviour couldn’t be described as female, let alone childlike, so no one questioned my name of choice. Mycroft tried to talk me out of it, of course, but Mother was surprisingly okay with it.” She quickly drained the rest of her tea and got up to stand against the window sill, face still turned towards her flatmate. “No one dared to ask me about it once I grew up. My dearest brother makes some attempts to call me by my former name from time to time. Futile, as I may add.”

“You changed it legally?”

“Of course.” She smiled again and picked up her violin, plucking at the strings testing before lifting it up under her chin. “It still bears the risk of being mutilated into some ridiculous and juvenile nickname, but the first confusion upon hearing it and connecting it to my person and gender usually covers that quite well. But feel free to punch everyone who tries otherwise.”

“I don’t think you’ll need me to defend you honour, Sherlock.” John settled back into his armchair, watching the woman by the window.

Soft sounds started filling the apartment, almost masking the quiet words. “But it’s nice to know that you would, if I’d ask you to.”


End file.
